Kenny Smith: "The Toronto Raptors have a slight window."

If someone can get a link for the Inside The NBA aired Thursday night, Jan 31st, it would be awesome, because Kenny Smith said some interesting about trying to guard both Derozan & Gay. Seems like the American media is extremely high on Derozan, & what Gay can do for the team.

It's nice that the Raps are getting some love on TNT but i completely disagree with Smith. It's going to be tough for the Raps to make the playoffs this year. They're in such in a deep hole right now. They're 6.5 games behind Boston i believe. That's a long climb. And i said this before, NO WAY Boston misses the playoffs. With or without Rondo they're going to be there.

By the way, crazy that DeRozan is getting so much love on TNT. Smith tonight, and Shaq the other night called him a go to guy

It's nice that the Raps are getting some love on TNT but i completely disagree with Smith. It's going to be tough for the Raps to make the playoffs this year. They're in such in a deep hole right now. They're 6.5 games behind Boston i believe. That's a long climb. And i said this before, NO WAY Boston misses the playoffs. With or without Rondo they're going to be there.

By the way, crazy that DeRozan is getting so much love on TNT. Smith tonight, and Shaq the other night called him a go to guy

36 games left. Just finish 24-12 if wanting to make playoffs. Yes, very tough, but with Boston possibly falling, & trade deadline coming soon, time will tell. East always has a team or two with the -.500 record getting in.

We can make the playoffs. If we find a way to gel after the trade deadline, we can make it in. I don't think Boston is a lock to get in. (Closing my eyes...tight.....clinching my fist....tighter) We can make it.

Trust me.... the American media is NOT pro Raptors. I'd be surprised if Kenny, Charles or Shaq have watched 1 qtr of a Raptor game.

1) derozan hits circus shot to beat orlando;
2) it's a highlight, so these guys are aware of it;
3) they remember him in the dunk contests;
4) they then take 12 seconds to peruse his stats;
5) they take note that he's scoring in the high teens;
6) they conclude that that means something (since, y'know...POINTS!!).

the whole 'american media' & whether they are pro-raptors or anti-raptors is a strawman. they are pro-story. if there's a story somewhere that will generate interest among their viewers - or generate new viewers - then that's what they are 'pro.' since 99% of their interest lies in cultivating the US market, any 'story' concerning the raps has to be significant enough to be of interest to joe-average american fan. and, sorry, as much as we gnash our teeth at the shitty luck the raps have had with officiating, pretty much no one outside of raptor fans gives a flying fuck...and hence, it isn't a story.

now, if the same thing had happened to, oh, say, the knicks (3 (potential) losses directly attributable to bad officiating, impacting their record/playoff seeding)...well, holy shit, the world might as well be on fire...because people in their market would care.

TRUE LOVE - Sometimes you know it the instant you see it across the bar.

It's nice that the Raps are getting some love on TNT but i completely disagree with Smith. It's going to be tough for the Raps to make the playoffs this year.

If I remember correctly, Smith was talking about next years playoffs. He said it was going to be tough for the Raptors to make it this year. They all can't understand why Memphis traded Gay. I agree with them.

Maybe you guys should realize that Derozan is actually a very good young basketball player. Nobody said he was an elite wing (and by the way he is not getting paid like one), but he scores at a solid rate (besides this recent stretch which he seems to be coming out of), is doing a better job rebounding and is starting to show signs of being a facilitator which is going to be vital to this team's success with Lowry playing the point. We got solid value for a 9th pick so maybe look at it from that context rather than the fact that he is just another lottery pick who didn't turn out.

totally agree. all he really needs to learn is how to dribble with any kind of pace, how to go to his left with any consistency, how to finish a break if contested in any way/shape/form, how to recognize a mismatch & take advantage of said mismatch (say, when you have steve nash isolated on the elbow, and no help comes, you may not want to feebly pass out of that situation without trying any kind of move. just saying), how to defend (in general), how to shoot from range (i.e. 3pt range) at at least a slightly-below-average rate, how to actually create opportunities for others (showing signs...).

but other than that, he's right on the verge.

and i agree, he's not getting paid like an 'elite wing.' that doesn't happen until next year. i'm sure he'll have all of the above figured out by then.

TRUE LOVE - Sometimes you know it the instant you see it across the bar.

I love that people are surprised Demar gets positive comments on TV. Toronto fans vastly underrate Demar and almost always point to D and efficiency...Fact is he is a very good SG in this league right now, partly because it is a position that lacks. He's not the most efficient SG, but so many of those guys these days don't have a game outside taking jumpers. And while a lot of guys limit themselves and aren't able to add to their game, Demar has done it every year, even if it's slower than some people here liked because they hoped he would be a superstar, or something he's not.

His major flaw is his inability to beat defenders with his dribbling. Every time he gets the ball in high elbow or any extension towards the 3 point line, he takes two dribbles and looks for an exit. He played so well during the beginning of the season is because he polished a few parts of his game and they started to pay dividends but as teams and players cued in on him, his paced slowed dramatically and he is only now starting to find his pace again. He is still not using his post game as effectively because teams are making it hard for him to get to his spot.

And it is all about context. DeRozan was the 9th pick and we all knew coming in that he was extremely raw but insanely athletic. With that in mind, DeRozan has taken leaps in his mid range game and other facets are slowly coming together. He is only 23 for god sakes......

I love that people are surprised Demar gets positive comments on TV. Toronto fans vastly underrate Demar and almost always point to D and efficiency...Fact is he is a very good SG in this league right now, partly because it is a position that lacks. He's not the most efficient SG, but so many of those guys these days don't have a game outside taking jumpers. And while a lot of guys limit themselves and aren't able to add to their game, Demar has done it every year, even if it's slower than some people here liked because they hoped he would be a superstar, or something he's not.

He has gotten better every season (lock out season aside) and we have seen progression in his game. What more can we really ask for?

I love that people are surprised Demar gets positive comments on TV. Toronto fans vastly underrate Demar and almost always point to D and efficiency...Fact is he is a very good SG in this league right now, partly because it is a position that lacks. He's not the most efficient SG, but so many of those guys these days don't have a game outside taking jumpers. And while a lot of guys limit themselves and aren't able to add to their game, Demar has done it every year, even if it's slower than some people here liked because they hoped he would be a superstar, or something he's not.

Toronto fan tend to vastly under rate & over rate all the time...

i read somewere last night that BC said on TSN that dispite what bloggers may think, his young players have good value around the league